Table of Contents
Introduction:
Describing people is a key part of communication in any language. Being able to accurately describe someone’s appearance, personality, and traits can help learners engage in conversations more naturally.
In this lesson, students will learn and review vocabulary for describing people through interactive games and exercises.
These activities are designed to enhance students’ ability to use descriptive language confidently in real-life situations.
Find the Mystery Person: Lesson Details:
Find the Mystery Person Game
- Level: Beginner/Pre-intermediate
- Objective:
- To introduce and review vocabulary related to describing people’s appearance and personality.
- Skills: writing, reading, listening, and speaking.
- Describing vocabulary: adjectives (black, white, tall, long, etc), clothes (scarf, hat, shirt, etc)
- Materials Needed: Vocabulary list (provided), matching exercise handouts, gap-fill worksheets, and “Finding the Mystery Person” activity cards.
- Time: 60 minutes
Find the Mystery Person: Describing a Person Lesson Plan
A. Vocabulary to Describe People:
- Ask students to work in small groups to review the vocabulary for describing people.
- Students use the following table to understand how to describe people:
| Adjective | Definition | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Tall | Having greater than average height | “He is tall, standing at 6 feet.” |
| Short | Having less than average height | “She is quite short, only 5 feet tall.” |
| Slim | Thin in an attractive way | “She has a slim figure and is very athletic.” |
| Chubby | Slightly overweight | “The baby has chubby cheeks.” |
| Curly (hair) | Hair in ringlets or spirals | “She has curly brown hair.” |
| Straight (hair) | Hair that does not curl or wave | “He has straight black hair.” |
| Friendly | Warm, kind, and pleasant | “Our new neighbor is very friendly.” |
| Shy | Nervous or timid in social situations | “He’s shy and doesn’t like speaking in public.” |
| Outgoing | Sociable, enjoys talking to others | “She’s outgoing and loves meeting new people.” |
| Serious | Quiet and thoughtful | “He has a serious expression most of the time.” |
| Generous | Willing to give or share freely | “She is generous with both her time and money.” |
| Lazy | Unwilling to work or use energy | “He can be a little lazy when it comes to chores.” |
- Review colors and clothes.
- Use these examples:
w to describe clothing using colors:
| Clothing Item | Example Sentence |
|---|---|
| Shirt | “He is wearing a red shirt.” |
| Dress | “She has on a beautiful blue dress.” |
| Shoes | “I bought new black shoes yesterday.” |
| Hat | “She always wears her green hat on sunny days.” |
| Pants | “He put on his favorite brown pants.” |
| Jacket | “Her yellow jacket stands out in the crowd.” |
| Socks | “I need to find my white socks for the gym.” |
| Scarf | “She wrapped a purple scarf around her neck.” |
| Skirt | “The pink skirt is perfect for the summer weather.” |
| Sweater | “It’s cold, so I’m wearing a gray sweater.” |
B. Practice Exercises
1. Matching Exercise
Match the adjectives to the correct definitions:
| Adjectives | Definitions |
|---|---|
| 1. Slim | A. Giving or sharing freely |
| 2. Curly | B. Having a sociable, friendly personality |
| 3. Generous | C. Having hair in tight spirals or ringlets |
| 4. Outgoing | D. Thin in an attractive or healthy way |
| 5. Lazy | E. Unwilling to work hard or do something |
2. Gap-Fill Exercise
Fill in the blanks with the correct adjective from the vocabulary list.
- Sarah is very __; she loves meeting new people and making friends.
- My brother is quite __, he always helps others without hesitation.
- I have __ hair, so I usually spend time straightening it.
- John’s cat is a bit __ because he feeds it too much.
- Mark can be really __ sometimes; he just sits on the couch all day.
C. Less Controlled Practice: Find the Mystery Person
In this activity, students will use their descriptive vocabulary to find the “mystery person” based on a series of clues.
Instructions:
- Divide students into pairs or small groups.
- Give each group a set of clues describing a mystery person (e.g., “This person is tall, has straight brown hair, and is very outgoing.”).
- The groups must discuss and identify the mystery person based on the description.
- Once they have identified the person, they will describe their own “mystery person” for the other groups to guess.
Conclusion:
Describing people using a rich vocabulary of adjectives is a vital skill for learners, enhancing their ability to communicate effectively in English. This lesson provides a mix of guided practice and fun activities that encourage students to use the vocabulary actively. With these interactive exercises, students will feel more confident in describing people and using descriptive language in various contexts.
By mastering the ability to describe appearance and personality, learners can engage in more meaningful conversations and become more expressive in their language use.
